seotesting vs google-optimize-legacy
SEOTesting vs Google Optimize — features, pricing, and which to choose for your SEO workflow in 2026.
Quick Verdict
SEOTesting and Google Optimize represent two different eras of SEO testing. While Google Optimize was once the go-to free solution for A/B testing, Google discontinued it in September 2023, leaving many SEOs scrambling for alternatives. SEOTesting emerged as a specialized platform built specifically for SEO experiments, unlike Optimize which was designed for general conversion rate optimization.
The core difference is philosophy: Google Optimize focused on conversion testing with basic SEO capabilities, while SEOTesting was built from the ground up to measure SEO traffic impact with statistical rigor. This distinction matters more now that Optimize is gone and teams need dedicated SEO testing solutions.
Feature Comparison
SEOTesting provides sophisticated SEO-specific testing features that Google Optimize never matched. It measures organic traffic changes with statistical significance testing, automatically accounts for seasonality and external factors, and provides confidence intervals for traffic impact predictions. The platform integrates directly with Google Search Console to track keyword rankings and impression changes during tests. Google Optimize, when it was active, offered basic A/B testing with limited SEO focus. It could test page variants but lacked the statistical sophistication to isolate SEO impact from other traffic sources. Optimize's strength was its seamless Google Analytics integration and visual editor for creating test variants, but it couldn't measure long-term SEO effects or account for search algorithm changes during test periods. SEOTesting's methodology is purpose-built for SEO: it uses time-series analysis to detect traffic changes, controls for external factors like algorithm updates, and provides clear reporting on which changes actually moved the needle for organic search performance.
Pricing Comparison
SEOTesting starts at $35/month with a free tier for basic testing, making it accessible for smaller teams while scaling to enterprise needs. The paid tiers unlock more sophisticated statistical analysis, larger test volumes, and advanced reporting features that justify the cost for serious SEO operations. Google Optimize was completely free, which made it attractive for budget-conscious teams. However, the "free" came with significant limitations in testing sophistication and Google's eventual decision to discontinue the service entirely. The hidden cost was the time invested in learning a tool that would disappear and the inferior SEO insights it provided compared to specialized solutions.
Best For
SEOTesting is the clear choice for any team doing SEO work in 2025. It's purpose-built for SEO testing, actively maintained, and provides the statistical rigor needed to make confident optimization decisions. Whether you're testing title tag changes, content updates, or technical SEO improvements, SEOTesting gives you the measurement framework that Google Optimize never could. Google Optimize is only relevant for historical context or if you're maintaining legacy test data from before its sunset. Some teams may still reference old Optimize experiments when planning new tests, but it's not a viable option for ongoing SEO work.
The Verdict
SEOTesting wins by default since Google Optimize is discontinued, but it would likely win on merit anyway. The specialized SEO focus, active development, and sophisticated statistical analysis make it the obvious choice for teams serious about measuring SEO impact. At $35/month, it's reasonably priced for the value it provides, and the free tier lets you test the waters before committing.